Your Thoughts on UAT vs ES ADSB
 

I've been rather surprised on both the market response and the availability of UAT ADSB equipment. Both seem to be rather low. All the Ads are for the high $$$$ ES equipment with total replacement of transponders along with the latest display of Wx and Traffic. I never fly higher than FL180!!! ,rarely ever get over 10,000 and can never recall being outside the USA boundaries. Is there just that much market for the Higher end ES in this sector of GA? The price for UAT is less than ES ( but not that much), but could be, with a better market and a few more customers. Aside from the small hand full of suppliers of UAT equipment, do you thing that is just result of where the market is being driven? We all continue to complain about the High cost of ADSB compliance equipment but we are only choosing the most expensive products. Check the used market price of the Garmin 327 transponder which you would think be great for UAT service but instead there seems to be a failing market for those. You can get one off VAF for $350. Your thoughts?

I think the price difference between UAT and ES technology is too close for many who are Planning on replacing their 20 year old KT76 anyway.

It's probably to soon settle the "VHS/Betamax" argument anyway. We'll see what Santa brings us in 2019.

UAT is only recognized
 

in the US. Everyone else on the planet has adopted 1090 ES as THE solution. Personally, I could 'get by' with UAT, but there is always the possibility that I might want to go somewhere that requires ES. Cost is already down pretty well, at least in 'aviation monetary units', sort of where we were when the mode C transponder was mandated. UAT is starting off as a worldwide orphan, and will not get a wider audience... ever.

Initially I hoped to get $1K for my 327. Then $850 seemed more realistic. By the time I actually was ready to sell it was $600. Now less. At prices like these can Garmin be selling ANY new ones?
I suspect a lot of pilots are like me: already owned a TSO'd gps source (G420W); already owned an ADSB-in that I liked (SkyRadar D2). With selling the 327 plus the FAA rebate my cost for adding a TT22 mode SES transponder (remote mounted, controlled thru the GRT HX) was down to $1100. And no new antennas, no new coax runs needed. Was hard to see how a UAT would be cheaper, once you add in antennas, coax, etc. Plus, maybe someday the wx will be horrible enroute but will top out at 18000, and I'll want to cruise in the flight levels. Or go to Bermuda (or maybe Mexico). Who knows what they'll require but it almost certainly will not be UAT. Plus a UAT antenna would have slowed me down 1/2 knot. -:)

There are pros and cons to both:

UAT Pros:
- anonymous mode
- cheaper in general if NavWorx starts producing again

UAT Cons:
- no flightradar24 tracking
- no 18k+'
- no international

ES Pros:
- may replace old transponder in the process
- flight tracking via flightradar24
- easier installation (in my experience)

ES Cons:
- possibly more expensive in general, although in some situations not much
- no anonymous mode

There are more, but that is the summary from where I stand.

Two reasons to go 1090 Mode S/ES:
1) if other nations mandate ADSB, it will almost certainly be 1090 as this is the standard already adopted by other countries (think of flying to Canada, Mexico or the Bahamas)

2) From a Search and Rescue perspective, the Aireon satellites are committed to being able to monitor, track, and report last known track and position of 1090 S/ES ADSB-equipped aircraft, and to provide that information to Search and Rescue coordinators when requested. This is a satellite-based ADSB monitoring capability riding on Iridium satellites, designed to be able to provide ADSB capabilities around the world. While we currently see the USA using ground-based ADSB, other nations, particularly those with responsibility for oceanic ATC, see satellite-based ADSB as the only means by which to move forward. This makes 1090 S/ES the only viable option from and ADSB-OUT perspective.

1090ES
 

I agree with Canadian Joy....
At some point in the future the FAA will decide that UAT is obsolete & not supportable.
Aapareo Stratus 1090ES ESG or ESGi Out & In--via Foreflight to I-Pad is definitely worth looking into and the best value for your money. I checked with Aircraft Spruce & they will build your harness for the ESG or ESGi.

I'm not so sure. Remember the whole reason we have this two-frequency system is that the FAA was afraid that if everyone was on 1090 MHz there would be problems with frequency congestion.

Satellites and belly antenna?
 

Question:

Does the satellite tracking work with our small planes that only have a transponder antenna on the belly?

The full ADBS system for the larger planes use a second transponder antenna on the upper surface for satellite communication.

The short answer is that satellite monitoring is capable of picking up belly-mount antenna signals. It's sub-optimal, but it does function.